Crab Boat EAGLE III Hits Coos Bay Jetty; Three Fishermen Feared Dead

Two fishermen are missing and one is confirmed dead in an Oregon crab boat accident. An EPIRB signal was received late Tuesday night alerting the Coast Guard that the EAGLE III was in trouble. The forty foot vessel had collided with the north jetty at Coos Bay and broken apart. At the time of the incident, winds were 30 mph and seas were estimated at 8-10 feet. The EAGLE III is home ported in Port Orford, California. The Captain of the EAGLE III is reported to have survived the incident. The search has been suspended for the two missing crew. The cause of the incident is under investigation. The Coast Guard will likely investigate whether the EAGLE III was seaworthy, the crew properly trained, and whether or not navigational error may have contributed to the crewmen deaths. The Oregon and Washington Crab fishery has again proven itself to be one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Small vessels such as the EAGLE III often face weather conditions that place them in peril.